Cossette and McDonald’s throw a little shade on summer

How the quick service restaurant and its agency helped Canadians stay cool

Michelle DiPardo
August 28, 2014

McDonald’s and Cossette’s Vancouver office found a unique way to keep the west coast cool this summer with “Peach Shades,” a stunt in support of the Freestone Peach Real Fruit Smoothie limited time offer from the quick-service restaurant.

The agency installed custom-designed blinds at five transit shelters in high-impact urban areas of Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver. People who entered the shelter found some refuge from the sun as the blinds shut (via motion sensors) and the product was revealed along with the message “Stay cool all summer.”

According to Michael Milardo, creative director at Cossette Vancouver, the goal of “Peach Shades” was to generate “high-impact awareness and to have people walk away from the bus stop, have a laugh and tell somebody about it.”

OMD handled the media buy for “Peach Shades” which ran throughout July. Cossette also worked with Vancouver-based print shop Xibita on the creation of the interactive blinds.